The Greatest Guide to Dealing With Intrusive Thoughts: From A Therapist
Intrusive thoughts are considered unwanted thoughts that may come into our minds with no prior warning at any time of the day. These thoughts are usually repetitive in order, with the same thought chain showing up repeatedly, and they might even be distressful or disturbing.
You can decide to think about anything but there are times when intrusive thoughts take the stage without your say in the matter. These thoughts are usually unsettling, disturbing, or troubling. As a result, you may feel disgusted, embarrassed, ashamed, or worried. It also causes mood swings in some people.
Individuals with symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder are likely to have these kinds of thoughts in their heads, but it may still happen to anyone. While these are harmless in themselves, intrusive thoughts may negatively impact our quality of life, affecting our behaviors as well.
The negative or intrusive thoughts we may have might come in statements, images, and even sounds.
Is it a cause for concern when you have intrusive thoughts? Well, yes and no. it occasionally happens to everyone, but you should do something about it when it becomes frequent. Whether your intrusive thoughts are regular or not, you can use the tips in this guide to stop them. And it’s crucial to stop them before they get worse.
Table of Contents
What is The Cause of Intrusive Thoughts?
Alarming or unwanted thoughts usually come from nowhere, are random, and do not require your input. You could be walking down the street with your pet, humming a tune, and boom! An uninvited thought drifts in. It is normal and happens to most people. However, when it happens frequently, there is usually an underlying cause.
Professionals suggest that frequent or repeatedly occurring intrusive thoughts signify that something is going erroneous or challenging in a person’s life. Maybe they are undergoing a problem with a relationship, have stress in their work, or have frustration when it comes to parenting their child and keeping the condition from bubbling over.
Regardless, rather than the issue staying suppressed, it somehow finds its way to come up to the surface.
There is a proposition that these intrusive thoughts might manifest as we are not willing to act in that certain way. In other words, although as humans we wouldn’t want to act on the things we keep thinking about, our mind just starts spitting out some inappropriate stuff that it may imagine.
If you constantly worry about these thoughts, that anxiety could lead to more intrusive thoughts. It will happen because you are now obsessed with them – trying to unravel and understand. It is called obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
It is also noteworthy that you can influence intrusive thoughts. Usually, these thoughts are random, but your reaction to certain events can affect the thoughts you have. For instance, if you attended a wedding where the groom broke up with the bride at the altar, you may begin to have obsessive thoughts about this experience. You may feel that this could be your experience, too, making you skeptical about your partner.
How to Identify Intrusive Thoughts
You Feel troubled or Alarmed
Intrusive thoughts are not your regular thoughts and are usually far removed from what you would think. As such, they are usually troubling or alarming thoughts. They are troubling because the content is bizarre, violent, embarrassing, depressing, or weird. If you don’t feel good about it, it’s most likely an intrusive thought.
The Thought is Unusual
Again, if you haven’t thought about something in the past or it’s not something you would think about, it’s likely an intrusive thought. That’s not to say any new thought is an intrusive thought; to check if it’s intrusive, consider the first litmus test – do you feel troubled or alarmed by this thought?
You Can’t Easily Control It
You can easily stop or control anything you think about, but it’s different for intrusive thoughts. The reason is that you didn’t originate these thoughts – they came unexpectedly.
What Are the Examples of Intrusive Thoughts?
There are many examples of intrusive thoughts that vary from individual to individual based on their experiences.
1. Hurting Someone Innocent Such as A Child
If you are new to parenting, you might come with the intrusive thought of hurting your baby. These thoughts might point towards accidental harm. These thoughts are often based on hurting your child purposely. A study suggested that almost 50% of the new parents have such intrusive thoughts.
2. Intrusive Thoughts of Acting on Something Illegal or Violent
Intrusive thoughts regarding violence or doing an illegal thing are also quite usual to appear. These are, however, not the kind of actions you might want to do. However, the thoughts might want to make you second-guess yourself. The violent thoughts may be vivid and may result in a stressful condition, given you cannot brush these thoughts off.
3. Thoughts Which May Result in Doubt
Doubts may come among the common types of getting intrusive thoughts. Doubts might be around big or small elements occurring in your life. For instance, these intrusive thoughts may cause you to doubt yourself regarding your sexual orientation or relationship. Alternatively, you might be thinking something is going wrong with your actions like you have forgotten to turn off the stove or sent a text to the wrong person.
4. Unanticipated Reminders Regarding Past Trauma
Some individuals may get unanticipated intrusive thoughts regarding past trauma. Such thoughts are triggered by some things going on in your circle. For instance, a specific place or smell might trigger an unexpected memory. However, it is possible you may not always be aware of what caused this trail of thoughts.
5. Worries Regarding Catching A Disease
Concerns regarding germs or getting a chronic disease are common examples of intrusive thoughts. Some individuals might worry about spreading the disease even when the risk is minimal. Such thoughts may lead to obsessive concerns regarding your health and result in different behaviors, including excess hand-washing.
6. Concern That You May Embarrass Yourself
You might have intrusive thoughts regarding embarrassing yourself around other individuals. These intrusive thoughts might be regarding saying, shouting, or simply doing a thing not considered inappropriate in a public capacity. Sometimes, these intrusive thoughts might be linked to past trauma, like getting embarrassed when you were a child.
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Is it Normal to Have Intrusive Thoughts?
These intrusive thoughts usually do not cause any harm, so these are considered normal. However, if you are obsessing about them to the point that they start interrupting your daily life, it may signify an underlying mental health problem. The intrusive thoughts might be a symptom of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or anxiety.
How Do I Stop Intrusive Thoughts?
There are different ways through which we can stop intrusive thoughts. Let’s see some:
Divert Your Attention
Trying to forget or avoid intrusive thoughts can be counter-productive. You will most likely fixate on those thoughts when you attempt to forget about them. The best thing to do is to distract yourself. Find another activity that is engaging and takes your mind off intrusive thoughts. This diversion could be anything from playing a game, reading a book, listening to music, or exercising.
The new activity must have no connection to those thoughts. Ensure it’s something different and focus on it.
Utilize grounding techniques to help you regain focus on the present moment and get you out of those uncomfortable thoughts.
Accept These Thoughts as “Thoughts”
Find solace in the fact that those thoughts are not real; it’s your imagination running wild. Some people have dark intrusive thoughts, and because it feels real, they worry about them happening. This action will lead you down a difficult path.
Always accept the thoughts merely as thoughts, which will have no power over you. No matter how real it feels, remember it’s all in your mind, and you don’t have to act on it. After a while or after diverting your attention, those thoughts will dissipate.
Mindfulness teaches us to observe thoughts that cross our minds but remove the judgment. Albert Ellis is a well-known theorist who says that A- is the event, C- is our thought or opinion about it, and B- is our response to that thought based on our opinions. Therefore if we remove the opinion about that thought then it is simply just a thought.
-Megan Santiago
Fix the Underlying Issue
Your experiences or fears can trigger intrusive thoughts. Remember those thoughts; do they remind you of something you’ve experienced? It might help to keep a record, so you don’t forget. You may have to find and fix the underlying cause if you notice a recurrence in your thought pattern.
For instance, some people have violent thoughts after seeing a horror movie. If you find that that happens to you, consider avoiding such movies. Take notice of what happens after taking a break.
Make sure you are getting plenty of quality sleep, avoiding any food sensitivities, exercising, meditating, and eating three well-balanced meals per day with fat, fiber, and protein in them.
Embrace a Positive Lifestyle
Positivity always trumps negativity. Embrace a positive lifestyle daily; it will be tough for negative intrusive thoughts to find a nesting place in your mind. Living positively entails healthy eating habits, keeping inspiring company, practicing positive affirmations, and generally exercising your body and mind.
In a nutshell, live your life to the fullest. Be content with where you are and enjoy every moment of every day as much as possible.
If you surround yourself with positivity, you are at a lower risk of getting yourself surrounded with intrusive thoughts. Some of the positive changes that you can bring in your life include the following:
- Developing eating habits that are healthy for you
- Practicing some yoga
- Talking strolls outside
- Talk it out with someone you trust
Another way of implementing this is by working with a therapist utilizing cognitive-behavioral therapy to help you gain better control over your thoughts and behaviors.
Speak to Someone
In times like this, it does help to speak to someone. Sharing with people you can trust is therapeutic, and you may get helpful tips from them. If you’d rather speak with someone unfamiliar, therapy is good too. Find a no-judgment zone and share your struggles; you should feel much better afterward.
Don’t Suppress Your Thoughts
For many individuals, the first response they have as they get an intrusive thought is that they try to forget about the thing. Unluckily, it is a method that acts in the opposite effect; you may be overthinking the intrusive thought.
There was also an experiment about this kind of thinking, in which the participants were requested not to think regarding white bears for a few minutes. The individuals had more intrusive thoughts about white bears more times in a minute on average.
Become Aware of the Triggers
Usually, your intrusive thoughts are not considered random on the whole, and your interactions going daily might influence them. Keeping a note of your intrusive thoughts might aid you in understanding those patterns over time.
In addition to sorting out your intrusive thoughts, you need to note the overall notes and mood of your day. As you begin to see similar thought patterns appearing over time, you need to check back those notes and see if you can identify any kind of patterns.
What Are OCD Intrusive Thoughts?
OCD is a mental illness that shows intrusive thoughts. It is considered unwanted, repetitive, and intrusive thoughts and excessive urges to do some typical actions. Although individuals with OCD might realize that their behavior and thoughts don’t make any kind of sense, they can usually not stop those thoughts.
Symptoms related to this mental illness start during childhood or young adulthood, although men usually develop such symptoms at a relatively younger age than females. About 1.2% of US citizens get OCD every year.
OCD Symptoms Include:
- Obsessions and compulsions
- Repetitive Thoughts
- Extreme discomfort until those rituals are performed out
How to Stop Intrusive OCD Thoughts
If you have obsessive-compulsive disorder, you are not alone. Understanding what causes it can help you cope with these thoughts. Like, intrusive thoughts, identify the underlying cause and see what lifestyle changes you can make to prevent or reduce the intensity.
Many people are put on antidepressants and benzodiazepines if they have severe symptoms. There are natural antidepressants and natural benzodiazepines that are helpful, but it is important to discuss these with your mental healthcare professional and physician.
It would help if you also had in the back of your mind that these thoughts are not representative of what you want. They’re not real; they are unwanted, and you shouldn’t act on them. If you take away the power it wields, you are in control.
And you should get help. Medications, meditations, and psychotherapy treatments will help with your condition. One of them is cognitive behavioral therapy, CBT, and this form of therapy will help you change your thought patterns.
Exposure therapy is another form of therapy that helps you deal with your anxieties and uncomfortable feelings by learning how to endure them. I know that sounds scary but essentially the longer you avoid dealing with something, the more intense those feelings can become and the more problematic they can become.
How Long Do Intrusive Thoughts Last?
There is no fixed answer to this question. However, if you practice the tips in this guide or get therapy, you will have fewer intrusive thoughts. Remember, intrusive thoughts occasionally happen to everyone, so it’s not an exclusive anomaly to worry about.
Last Words
Intrusive thoughts are thoughts, nothing more. In trying to stop them, your best bet is first to accept they’re just thoughts without real implications. Then, distract yourself with other healthy activities and generally embrace a more positive lifestyle.
Originally posted 2022-03-05 03:11:54.
Megan Santiago
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